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Ataru (Form II)
Form IV, also known as Ataru, the Way of the Hawk, or The Aggression Form, was the fourth of the seven forms of sword combat. The history of Ataru stretched back through the first millennium A.D., to at least as early as the 8th century, where it was commonly employed by Knights of that day. Ataru continued to be a common form among the police, and was also known to be employed by the NoHeads. An aggressive style, Form IV was fast-paced and effective against single opponents, though weaker in prolonged combat and confined spaces. Also, it was not recommended for use against opponents wielding guns. Ataru was characterized by mutantry-assisted acrobatics, such as somersaults and leaping strikes, both for attack and defense. Another characteristic of the form was its fast, powerful strikes from multiple directions. Notable users of this combat form included Baby Intelligence and Centauri. The Second S.M.S.B. preserved knowledge of Ataru, and Grandmaster Matthew employed it. Description Ataru was an aggressive combat form relying on a combination of strength, speed, and agility. Due to this, it was also called the Way of the Hawk or the Aggression Form. Practitioners of Ataru were always on the offensive, attacking with wide, fast, and powerful swings. Form IV practitioners constantly called upon one's superpowers to aid in their movements and attacks. By allowing their powers to take over them, they could overcome their physical limitations — including old age, as was the case with Master Intelligence — and perform amazing feats of acrobatics, such as somersaults and backflips, not only for attack, but also to evade the slashes and strikes of their opponents. Duelists utilizing Ataru needed to incorporate all the powers that involved surpassing normal physical ranges of motion, speed, and agility in order to be successful, according to Cecelia Martez. Running, jumping, and spinning were all emphasized in learning the elaborate kinetics of the form. Those who used Form IV could move at high speeds and could rain strong blows, jumping and attacking through the air. Powerful and quick spinning attacks could be utilized from all angles, either from ground or air. A master in Ataru combat could appear like a blur to their opponents, attacking from all directions — the front, the sides, overhead, or behind. Their powers not only allowed them to perform athletic feats not possible otherwise, but it also helped guide their actions and movements in combat. Applications Ataru proved to be an effective combat form when used properly, and was common among mutants during the Second World War. It was well-suited to close combat, particularly against single opponents. Due to its speed and agility, Ataru was highly recommended for use by only mutants, preferably ones with the ability to enhance their speed and stamina with their powers. Because it was such an aggressive style, Ataru was not generally optimal for use against multiple opponents, and it was somewhat ineffective against gunfire, particularly from multiple foes. Despite those weaknesses, S.M.S.B. members Master Intelligence and Sebiscuits were able to employ this form with great success during the Mission to the t and i Factory against numerous B1 opponents. This form was also considered not as effective for prolonged combat, as the nature of Ataru could greatly tax the body. Ataru practitioners were advised to withdraw if they were unable to win after a devastating burst of Ataru attacks. Baby Intelligence was considered to have mastered Form IV to its highest level. He used it in almost all of his battles, and his mastery of the style caused others to describe him as virtually unstoppable against most opponents, including NoHead robot soldiers, despite his small size and young age. His moves in his first duel against Hell Burnbottom were revealed on close examination to be a fast-paced demonstration of the standard components of Form IV. Each action flowed from one to another in the smooth transitions characteristic of Form IV. In addition, three kinds of rotation, called su ma, figured prominently in his style: jung su ma (spinning), ton su ma (somersaults), and en su ma (cartwheels). These three moves represented the three possible axes of rotation in three-dimensional space. Together with enhanced jumps, the rotational su ma moves composed most of his style, making the Grand Master exemplary of Form IV mastery. Fatigue was theorized to have been a contributing factor in Baby Intelligence's defeat during his rematch in Wyoming at the hands of NoHead Hell Burnbottom during the latter stages of the Battle of the Yellowstone Base. In fact, ever since their brief fight in the same location previously, Burnbottom knew that Ataru would be the infant's undoing. Another contributing factor in Intelligence's defeat was the requirement of open space for the kinetic acrobatics of Ataru. Without ample space to move in the Yellowstone reactor core, Intelligence was deprived of the key element in his defense, and thus could only attempt to block Burnbottom's incessant barrage of Form VII strikes. This event influenced Baby Intelligence — after his feigned death, he begged the ghost of Rotta Hecks to teach him how to better fight in narrow spaces. Baby Intellignece also employed Ataru against the robot soldiers during the Second NoHead War. Despite its weaknesses to gunfire and multiple opponents, Intelligence's mastery of the form was such that he was able to defeat the robots. At one point during the S.M.S.B. - Knights of Plague Conflict, Baby Intelligence was known to give demonstrations of the form in use, some of which were recorded on databooks in the new police station. Mr. Stupid NoHead stated that he understood "every weakness of the Ataru form, with its ridiculous acrobatics." NoHead's Form VII would counter Ataru by launching a series of thrusts toward the enemy's legs to draw the opponent into a flipping overhead leap, so that NoHead could burn through the enemy's spine from kidneys to shoulder blades with his Vaapad attack. In his youth, the Grandmaster applied this tactic against Bladepoint, who blocked NoHead's blows with Soresu, during the Battle of the First NoHead Base. Moves and maneuvers The opening stance for Ataru was a balanced two-handed guard: holding the sword vertically with both palms, either on the right or left side of the body. One technique employed with greater effect by Ataru users was the Hawk Swoop. When utilized by Ataru practitioners, it was intended to allow a combatant to quickly strike their opponent without giving them a chance to react, and then escape before they had a chance to retaliate. Another move that Ataru users could use effectively was dubbed the Saber Swarm, where numerous short strikes were aimed at the adversary to force a defensive posture. Ataru wielders were able to execute this combination with particular skill. Both the Hawk Swoop and the Saber Swarm were related to the Falling Leaf technique, and they gained in popularity during the First NoHead War. Practitioners Besides Baby Intelligence, other notable practitioners of Ataru were S.M.S.B. members Sebiscuits, Centauri, and Telekinibabe; police officers Tyson and Cecelia Martez; NoHeads Hell Burnbottom and Annabeth; and Dark mutant Seth Heath. The Knight of Metta Kombatt used Ataru to defeat two Dark acolytes of Xendrum in Asia. Rotta Hecks and her NC-1400 bodyguards also learned Ataru from Mr. Stupid NoHead. Sebiscuits studied Ataru, as it fit his flashy, bold, and aggressive personality — he would later use those same traits to become a skilled Form V practitioner as well. Lindsay Kellerman was also proficient in the Form: she applied the two-sword variant of Ataru against Hell Burnbottom in Wyoming. Because neither Ataru nor dual-wielding were Kellerman's most effective styles, Burnbottom broke through it easily with sun djem, forcing the infant to switch back to her standard Form I. Circa the 2nd century, Knights in training were discouraged from practicing Ataru, as their youthful energy was considered prone to sloppy execution of its cadences. However, by the years of the police, students would spend a year or two studying each Form from II to V, including Ataru. Andromeda practiced Ataru in a training session with Master Intelligence, shortly before the second attack on the MBH. Officer Evan also practiced Ataru, in addition to other saber forms. Evan's apprentice would also learn Ataru, along with the other forms, during his police training. Force Baby was another practitioner of Form IV. After his transformation and defeat in the City Volcano, Sebiscuits included elements of Form IV in his personalized variation of Form V. The Second S.M.S.B. would learn of this form, along with the others, from knowledge gleaned from the book The Fencing Path: A Manual for Students of the Light, datapads and recordings, particularly the Great Datapad which included a recording by Cecelia Martez explaining sword forms. Grand Master Matthew also had knowledge and skill in the use of Ataru, as did his wife. Matthew learned the Form from Sebiscuits and passed it on to his students, teaching them to embrace it not as a weapon of first use and to use both their weapon and their body in practicing Ataru. Behind the Scenes Ataru, along with forms II, III, and VII was first mentioned in , but little information was given about the form other than a brief description of it, and listing Sebiscuits as a known practitioner. Along with the other six classical forms, it was fully fleshed out and described by Melinda Reid in Saber Danger Sword Combat after the release of Prequel II. D. Isaac Thomas aided Reid, who was his aunt, in her work. In , it is mistakenly stated that Steven Thompson is "a master of the sword style known as Ataru, in which deflection is prized above aggression." Though Thompson did know Ataru, this statement totally contradicts Ataru's true form, as it is not very good for deflecting bullets and is one of the most aggressive of the seven forms. The dictionary likely refers to Form III instead. D. Isaac Thomas has confirmed that Baby Intelligence uses Ataru as his primary Form. Appearances * * * * * Notes and References Category:Sword combat Category:Sword combat forms